Blackwood Gets Sharks to Shootout, But Stars Win 3-2

DALLAS — The San Jose Sharks head to American Airlines Center for their first road game of the season.

Tyler Toffoli and Ty Dellandrea scored, but the Stars won in the shootout 3-2.

Period 1

I predict DeBoer hard matches skill lines against Smith line when he can…we’ll see!

2 in: Sturm pass high on entry doesn’t connect, Stars go 2-on-1 the other way.

3 in: That’s the kind of play that I’ve been seeing from Eklund, hold one beat more, keep the low to high pass in the zone. But instead, a little hurried, and it goes out of the zone, Ceci can’t get there. I see good, but want great.

Wennberg line effective on forecheck to start.

6 in: Eklund almost shut me up there though. Golden chance, claimed by Toffoli on forecheck, he finds Eklund high in slot unmarked. Big Oettinger save.

7 in: Nice backhand exit pass from Thrun to forward. A lot of focus on his shortcomings this year, but that’s a nice play.

Toffoli 2-on-1 chance with Eklund, another big Otter save. They’re getting Grade-A’s tonight this line, last game they controlled play, but I thought chances weren’t highest-quality.

Tough penalty on Goodrow, double-minor. He and the rest of the San Jose Sharks had gotten off to a good start. Big test.

9 left: Great PK shift by Sturm, sans stick, he kicks it out, then he pressures high.

8 left: Big Blackwood save! This PK hasn’t been as staunch as normal this season, missed a couple clears, but Blackwood erases it.

6 left: Sharks getting lucky on this PK, Stars heeled a couple outstanding chances. But they’ll get out of it, thank the ice and Blackwood.

2 left: Great job by Kunin, stick push by Eklund maybe, to even up Stars’ 3-on-2.

Solid start for the San Jose Sharks. 5-on-5 forecheck was impactful, survived a double-minor penalty. Per Natural Stat Trick, 7-4 chances, 1-0 high-danger at 5-on-5 in first for Sharks.

Period 2

4 in: That Grundstrom stick along the wall, interrupting Dallas exit…that’s not there last year.

5 in: Small play, but beaut Smith low-to-high pass to Benning.

Toffoli goal: All Tyler. Steal up high. Got enough speed, along with Eklund, to push D back on 2-on-1. Stole it from Robertson, no burner himself, so that helped. Toffoli has come as advertised, obvious sniper, but so smart in small areas.

7 in: Good one-on-one defending by Goodrow on Duchene down low.

Rutta penalty: That looked like a pick by Benn too.

8 in: Great PK’ing by Granlund, recognized vulnerable Star who had just reached out to keep Walman clear in, forced puck out.

10 in: San Jose Sharks having trouble establishing OZ now. But huge Blackwood save on Blackwell.

Duchene goal: You could feel that coming. Sharks scrambling, blah OZ shift leads to Stars the other side. Not just on Eklund, but he’s got to pick up Duchene.

6 left: Wennberg and Sturm lines had reestablished some kind of order on forecheck, but no offense produced…but then, Dellandrea can’t make that diagonal pass across NZ unless he’s sure. Too easy, he’s lucky that Blackwood on the ball so far tonight.

But Warsofsky going with Sturm line after that turnover and commercial break, that’s his choice for momentum.

Dellandrea goal: And they did it! Dellandrea intercepted a pass high, Sturm breakaway, Dellandrea followed up.

Hintz goal: Wennberg line had been defending all shift, so Goodrow had a chance to clear, he just cleared it to NZ. Quick counterattack by Stars.

San Jose Sharks don’t establish much in OZ, Stars rush, that’s been story of the period. Not a great period for the Sharks, but they were opportunistic. Let’s see if they can rally in the third like they haven’t this season.

1 left: Big DZ shift to end period, Warsofsky opts for Wennberg between Zetterlund and Kostin.

8-2 Stars’ High-Danger Chances in this period. ‘Nuff said.

Period 3

Learning to win has been a San Jose Sharks’ internal theme after two back-to-back games basically lost in the third period. Let’s see what they’ve got up their sleeve. Again, the Sturm line starts.

Not sure why, but Granlund line hasn’t played a ton. Maybe time to give them more shifts. Granlund draws a penalty, that’s a way to get some momentum.

Must score on 5-on-3. Be aggressive. Stars have the momentum, based on last period.

3 in: Big cross-crease save by Blackwood on Hintz after PP ends. Better chance than Sharks had on the 5-on-3.

5 in: Good call by Walman to jump up on play. Smith has a dangerous slot pass.

6 in: First very effective San Jose Sharks forecheck in a while, Wennberg takes it from Lindell, Kunin finds Goodrow by himself. More of that.

7 in: Great Wennberg shift, enters by himself, end of shift, but doesn’t just give it up, stickhandles, gets it in deeper so fresh Sharks can get it. Leads to Grundstrom chance. Pro 3C.

How does Johnston end up by himself there? Huge breakdown, lucky.

9 in: At least this power play has some chances. Let’s see what PP2 can do here.

10 in: Stars PK targets Smith up high, doesn’t let him make the pass he wants.

Kunin goes high on a golden chance. Effective Ceci pinch, Goodrow has it, the game was there for Luke by himself in slot.

Credit to the Sharks, who have responded with a strong 3rd.

8 left: Want to watch first line work on wall to get out of DZ. Back to back shifts, nice work.

7 left: Play of the game by Blackwood! What a save on Dadonov.

OT

Smith’s last shift was 6:50 left in the 3rd. Honestly, the right move, he’s still learning. Maybe give him an OT shift though, see what he can do with all the time and space.

Granlund-Zetterlund-Ceci to start.